From U.S. Pat. No. 4,420,059 there is known a drive assembly for a motor vehicle with a transfer case for distributing torque to the front wheels and rear wheels, respectively, as well as with a differential assembly and an angle drive. Between the differential assembly and the angle drive there is provided a clutch which is able to drivingly connect the differential carrier to the input gear of the angle drive. The input gear of the angle drive is supported by a bearing in a housing which is arranged so as to adjoin the clutch.
DE 4 745 819 proposes a front axle differential drive and a central differential drive for a four-wheel drive motor vehicle. The central differential is permanently driven by the engine via a ring gear housing. At the front axle differential there is provided a hydraulic multi-plate clutch which forms a locking mechanism for locking the central differential. In the locked condition, a differential movement between the front axle and the rear axle is blocked. In the open condition, a differential movement between the front axle and the rear axle can take place.
From EP 0 091 406 A2 there is known a drive assembly for a motor vehicle with a transversely fitted engine. The drive assembly comprises a planetary gear and an adjoining differential gear. There is provided a synchronising device for optionally locking and releasing the planetary gear.
DE 100 65 108 A1 proposes an angle drive with a drive housing which defines a first axis and a second axis extending radially relative thereto. The drive housing is annular in shape and comprises a set of sleeves in which the output shaft of the angle drive is rotatably supported.
Furthermore, it is known in motor vehicles with a permanently driven front axle and an optionally connectable rear axle, in the switched off condition, to uncouple the propeller shaft completely from the front axle and the rear axle, so that the propeller shaft stands still. In this way, any performance losses which would otherwise occur due to the torque-free running of the propeller shaft can be minimized, which, in turn, has an advantageous effect on the fuel consumption.
DE 10 2008 037 886 A1 proposes a drive assembly for a motor vehicle driven by a plurality of axles and having a permanently driven first driving axle and an optionally connectable second driving axle. The torque is transmitted to the second driving axle via a propeller shaft. For connecting and disconnecting the propeller shaft there are provided two clutches, one of which is arranged in the torque flow in front of the propeller shaft and the other one in the torque flow behind the propeller shaft.
Especially the front angle drive which has to be accommodated between the front axle differential and the propeller shaft behind and, respectively, underneath the internal combustion engine, comprises a very restricted installation space. Even more so, this applies to a driveline wherein the propeller shaft has to be suitable for being disconnected by a switchable clutch. The possibility of increasing the size of the angle drive is therefore limited by the restricted installation space.